She Come By It Natural : Dolly Parton and the Women Who Lived Her Songs New York Times bestselling author Sarah Smarsh’s trademark insight, intelligence, and humanity is captured in this biography of working-class icon and one of the most beloved and unifying figures in American culture: Dolly Parton. Smarsh explores the overlooked contributions to social progress by women, exemplified by Dolly Parton’s life and art. Parton’s songs for decades have validated women who go unheard and her career, from singing on the front porch of a cabin to achieving stardom in Nashville and Hollywood defines the life of a true feminist icon. From being managed by powerful men, to leader of a self-made business and philanthropy empire, Smarsh examines the intersections of gender, class, and culture through the organic feminism Dolly Parton embodies.